


A Date for the Yule Ball

by DanniCat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Aromantic, Aromantic Tom Riddle, Multi, Possibly Asexual Tom Riddle, Ron Weasley is a Good Friend, Tom is two years older than Harry, Yule Ball (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 23:49:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15593526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanniCat/pseuds/DanniCat
Summary: Tom Riddle was born in 1977. Now two years above Harry Potter they are thrown together for tutoring purposes and an unsuspected and powerful friendship grows. But when Harry grows feelings for an unfeeling Tom, what will happen to their friendship?





	A Date for the Yule Ball

Tom looked down at the younger boy as he walked through the halls.

When the boy had first come to Hogwarts in Tom’s third year, he had immediately replaced Tom as the unofficial “Hogwarts’ Cutie” a title he had been most glad to be free from. It had been hard to be a cold, calculating Slytherin when all of the sixth year Hufflepuffs had walked around ruffling his hair and pinching his cheeks. Even when some of the girls had walked off with blisters and boils, they had _still_ talked about how _‘adorable’_ the little Slytherin was. It was disgusting and quite frankly insulting.

The whispers had started when they heard it was a Potter being sorted. His parents were legends from their days at Hogwarts. The modern day Romeo and Juliet, choosing to marry against the wishes of their parents and moving into their own personal home with all of their savings just months after leaving school. They announced their pregnancy a year later and that bundle of joy, currently walking up to the dais, was the reason the two were able to live in peace with their parents once more.

Everyone knew about the lovely muggle-born, Lily, who managed to beat out nearly the entirety of Ravenclaw and come in third in her academic career as a Gryffindor. James Potter, the popular rich kid, who had excelled at nothing outside of being popular and Quidditch, but still managed to come out in the top 10% of his class. They had fought constantly for years before getting together in their sixth year and becoming inseparable before the month was up.

Everyone knew the story as it had become a true starting point for the muggle-born equality activists.

Just like everyone knew that their son would be as gorgeous as his parents before him. But with no pictures released in the papers since the announcement of his birth, aside from a few grainy shots snapped through windows and privacy charms, no one knew he would look like this.

The boy was thin, not unhealthily, just like a young boy who would rather play outside than remember to come in to eat. His skin was fair, as his mother’s had been, a slightly rounded face and large green eyes that were magnified by large glasses, and shadowed by the signature, untamable Potter hair. Smaller than most of the first years, the boy looked absolutely adorable.

Tom was extremely gratified to hear the girls in Ravenclaw coo delightedly as he sat on the stool with the sorting hat that continued to fall over his glasses until he lifted the brim, blushing slightly.

“He’s even cuter than, Riddle!”

“I know! Just adorable, isn’t he!”

“Just so much sweeter than Riddle.”

Tom decided then and there that he was really going to like this kid. Or at least tolerate him. Anyone who could draw the attention off of him was okay in his books. At least this kind of attention anyway. Eventually the excited whisperings of the group switched topics. Harry had been wearing the hat for five minutes now. And it looked like he was discussing something with the hat in great detail.

Why was the child of two of the most famous Gryffindors, and the godson of two others, taking such a long time to sort? It really couldn’t be that complicated.

“S- Alright!- Gryffindor!”

And if the wait was bizarre that was a hippogriff in a tutu dancing the foxtrot. A few people clapped and eventually the applause came, but it was spattered with confusion. No one had ever heard the hat say anything except the first year’s house during the sorting. Ever. The only one who could hear the rest of the Hat’s nonsense was the wearer. Even Dumbledore looked shocked, although it could have been a sour lemon drop. Couldn’t really tell with the Headmaster.

After that the rest of the ceremony was rather ordinary and quite boring in Tom’s opinion.

(0,0)

“What do you mean?”

“They let him onto the team. And he’s got his own broom.”

Tom listened as Davis paced and ranted about how unfair it was that the Gryffindors always got special treatment. From what he’d seen, the Potter boy could handle a broom, but the Slytherin’s could probably over take them in size if they had to. Truthfully, so long as they got the points where they could, it wouldn’t matter how good their seeker was.

But there was no way he was going to bring that to the attention of the sixth year boy. If the teen couldn’t figure it out himself, it wasn’t worth Tom’s time to bring it to his attention. Plus if the first year managed to grab the snitch he would immediately eclipse Tom for ‘cuteness’ for the rest of Tom’s career here and that was more than enough incentive to lean against the wall with a single raised eyebrow.

The younger boy would be even more of a distraction for the frustrating older students, many of them still ruffled Tom’s hair when the passed him in the hallway or handed him a book from a high shelf in the library, even when he didn’t want that book. They wouldn’t listen to him, just give him a condescending smile. It was ridiculous. He could perform a summoning charm with blinking now a days and he had also learned how to put the books back after earning a lecture from Pince on taking more than he needed.

(0,0)

“Harry!” Ron came running up to the other boy and clapped him on the back much as he had seen his older brothers do, “I can’t believe you got onto the team! That’s just crazy, Malfoy was not happy at all with that! He was certain you were going to get kicked out of the school. I thought you said you’d never flown before!”

Harry stepped a little away from his friend and shrugged, “I haven’t. Mum kind of hates the fact I even have one of those small practice brooms, but my godfather gave it to me as a birthday gift years ago.”

“I’m impressed, mate. The entire school is talking about it.”

The raven haired boy groaned and let his face fall into his hands, “I wish they weren’t! You know, I think this is the first time in my life that I actually wish I had gotten into trouble. I _hate_ that everyone is talking about me…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’ll die down soon enough.” But the shifty eyes of his newest friend confirmed that this would not be dying down until at least next year.

And that’s if he lost.

When a Hufflepuff chose that moment to coo about the ‘little lion seeker’ Harry decided that now was the perfect time to move into the Room of Requirement (thank goodness his godfathers didn’t feel it necessary to abide by his Mum’s rules and keep secrets of Hogwarts for him to discover on his own). Maybe he could create a time travel spell…

(0,0)

“This is killing me Ron!”

The trio were sitting in their favorite seats by the fire. The thirteen year olds were exhausted from their first trip to Hogsmeade that weekend. Snape hadn’t been too happy when Malfoy had come inside looking like a creature from the bottom of a bog. But Harry had greatly enjoyed flinging the mud at the pristine blonde hair. Especially after he called Hermione a – _that_. Seriously, had the new reforms not been good enough for people like that pureblood brat?

But the detention he had received for the mud throwing, wasn’t even his biggest problem at the moment. In fact he was debating if it would be worth it to add another detention to his list.

“You can’t blame them, Harry. It’s natural for people to want to protect others, especially those who are…well… _smaller_ than they are.”

Green eyes turned to the bushy-haired girl, “Hermione. They cornered me and took turns _washing my hands_ because they were worried I would _ruin my clothes._ How long am I supposed to deal with that?! I’m going to go insane if I have to hear one more coo in my direction. They sound like a bunch of bloody birds.”

Two sets of brown eyes rolled at their friend, “Most of them are graduating, mate. You can make it through the rest of this year.”

(0,0)

“And then, they all started cooing over _him!_ I was the one with mud in my _hair!_ Can you believe that?! Talk about unfair!”

Tom rolled his eyes as the Malfoy heir ranted to him, “Let me get this straight. You want me to give Potter another detention because he was being treated like a five year old by some teenage girls, while you had mud in your hair?”

“No! I want you to come up with a reason to give him detention because he’s an annoying nuisance who always gets everything handed to him, just because everyone is convinced that he’s _‘just adorable_ ’.”

The prefect gave the thirteen year old a glare and shook his head, “Leave it alone, Malfoy. I believe I can safely say that he has already been punished enough.”

The older boy was glad that he had grown out of his ‘boyish cuteness’ in the course of the last year. He had also developed an icy demeanor that kept the older girls from doing more than commenting on the fact that he was the hottest boy at Hogwarts.

Apparently they had taken a school wide poll, boys and girls, and Tom had been granted the title despite his ‘relatively off-putting aura’.

He snorted and moved away from the blond, who was still ranting even as Tom pointedly walked away. He walked into the empty potions tutoring center and gathered what he needed for a basic assessment of his new pupil’s skills.

The prefect had been asked by Severus Snape to help tutor one of his third years who, according to him, was an inept dunderhead who couldn’t hold a ladle the right way and was just as likely to properly slice mandrake root as Snape was to win Witch Weekly’s Most Charming Smile award over that simpering Gilderoy Lockhart.

Riddle was just glad it wasn’t any of the Slytherins, a majority of them were too scared of Snape to ever do badly at a potion. He hated tutoring Slytherins, most of them got cocky and decided they knew whatever their tutor tried to teach them. Which usually resulted in and explosion and a trip to the hospital wing for both parties and a series of unfortunate bystanders.

To be honest, Tom was about ninety percent sure that the child in question was the Gryffindor who probably should have been in Hufflepuff. He still was not quite sure what the Hat had been smoking to choose the house he had, but the Longbottom boy wasn’t too horrible, just tended to say ‘sorry’ an awful lot and was rather absent minded at the best of times.

When the door opened he discovered that Tom was right to an extent, it was a Gryffindor boy. One of Longbottom’s good friends actually. And the irony of this situation didn’t escape him as he thought back to a few minutes ago in the Slytherin common room. Speaking of-

“Potter. I believe I have you to thank for the currently ranting Malfoy heir storming about our common room.”

Harry winced, of course he would be forced to have the coldest, meanest person at Hogwarts as his tutor.

“I can’t say I’m sorry for throwing mud at him. He had it coming. Let’s see how he feels being called mud-face for the next month or so.”

The prefect shrugged, actually impressed that the twelve-year-old wasn’t apologizing profusely for causing him indirect annoyance. Most of the sixth years apologized for thinking something bad about him. Plus it was a good idea, albeit still juvenile to throw mud at someone so they could call him names.

“Very well then. According to Snape you need to go over all of the basic potions to get you caught up to your year. So we’ll be brewing one potion a day until you get caught up.”

Harry barely suppressed a groan. He was going to be stuck in this room with Riddle forever at that rate.

“That is going to take forever! I can’t do anything with potions. My mum tried to teach me, she actually _likes_ potions but I can’t even get it to turn the right color with Hermione standing over my shoulder doing it for me. Can’t we just say you tried and you can tell Snape that I’m beyond help or something?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. I am the best tutor Hogwarts has at the moment and there is no way I’m letting you ruin my reputation as such simply because you are too lazy to even try to brew a correct potion.”

“I’m not lazy! I’m simply incompetent! Ask Snape!”

“ _Professor_ Snape believes that I can help you and I will. Let’s start with the basics. What do you know about potions?”

The Gryffindor glared at him, “ _Nothing!_ ” the snarled word had Riddle glaring at the thirteen year old, “Haven’t you been listening to anything?!”

Drawing his ‘relatively off-putting aura’ around him he glared at the younger boy, “I do not know why you are pretending to be so bad at potions. And I don’t care. But you are going to learn if I have to beat your head with the book for the next three years. And you will show me respect in the process.”

Green eyes blinked at him once, a long slow closing of his eyelids which he extended by rubbing at them behind his glasses as the boy seemed to resign himself to his fate. At least he had enough sense to avoid annoying him any further. Tom smirked once again at the success his reputation brought him.

“Now are you ready to begin?”

“I don’t know what you’ve been inhaling, but I am not _pretending_ to be bad at potions, I _am_. And there is nothing you can do to help me.”

This child had no idea who he was messing with. Tom rose to his feet and took two steps until he was standing so close to the teen that he took a step back and involuntarily sat down, hard, in his chair.

“You sir are no Slytherin. Your papers have received nothing more or less than ‘average’ from the beginning of your time here until the paper you turned in last week. But every potion you’ve done has received a poor if you’re lucky. Every other student in the school has potions that match the paper they wrote on the potion.”

Harry opened his mouth to protest but Tom squashed the glint of hope with a sinister smirk of his own.

“You’re not special, you’re not unique, what you _are_ doing is deliberately acting as though you know nothing about potions. I don’t care why that is. But it is going to stop here and now. I will teach you every potion you’ve missed so far in your academic career and you will pass them. Do you understand?”

The Gryffindor glared at him and said nothing.

“Now. What do you know about potions?”

What followed were the longest twelve and a half minutes of Harry’s life. He couldn’t say anything. He had spent years fooling his parents and professors into thinking he was horrid at potions. And this one fifteen year old just assumed that he could walk in and claim to see through his act?! He didn’t think so.

…

He could wait Tom out. He’d waited out his first grounding as a result of his grades. He could out last this Slytherin.

…

Tom raised an eyebrow at him and the Gryffindor broke.

“I’ve read potions books up through the fifth year curriculum here. I know the properties of most ingredients and how they interact together. I understand the concept of different potions having bases. Healing potions generally have a similar combination of ingredients as do poisons. The only thing I’m having difficulty understanding is the process of learning to time the addition of ingredients. Why do certain ingredients need more time in one potion than another…”

Grey eyes met Harry’s with a smirk and he gestured towards the cauldron in front of the Gryffindor when he trailed off. It was obvious the boy was mad at himself for giving in. But he shouldn’t be too hard on himself. Tom wasn’t a genius and the best student in the school for nothing.

(0,0)

“Riddle is just… argh!”

Harry stormed into the common room to the amused looks of Hermione, Ron, and the rest of their group.

“What happened? I thought you liked Riddle on Wednesdays…”

“Ha-bloody-ha.”

Ron rolled his eyes but it was his…‘adorable’ sister who actually took the bait, “Oh come on, guys. What happened, Harry?”

“I… He… it’s… Ah forget it. Nothing happened. I’ll get over it. Everyone does.”

He could feel his friends blinking after him, but he wasn’t sure what to say, _‘I’m mad because he was late to our theory review session, that we both know I don’t need, and it was because some ridiculous sixth year thought she could ask him out to the next Hogsmeade weekend?’_

Yeah, that would go over well. He quickly dressed for bed deciding homework could wait until break the next day, even if it meant another lecture from McGonagall. His last thoughts before he gave in were thankful that even an older girl hadn’t been enough to tempt Tom from outright ignoring his duties.

_“My apologies. But I have commitments that day as many of the students have been assigned tutoring or detentions and it is my duties to help oversee them.”_

Unfortunately, slimy Miss Perfect wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

_“Detentions all end by four on Hogsmeade weekends. Dumbledore doesn’t like the idea of taking the entire day away from students. Which means- you’ll have plenty of time to join me for dinner. 5 o’clock, Madame Puddifoot’s. I’ll see you there.”_

And then she kissed his cheek and Tom was in such a foul mood the rest of the night that they got into a fight that got that kicked out of the library until Pince discovered her heart and merciful tendencies. Or next week when she had forgotten which students she had kicked out during the week. Whichever came first.

Which is why he was really frustrated. Tom made sure that when he wasn’t happy nobody else was either. But his friends always made stupid faces when he brought up Tom’s moods. Best to avoid them whenever this subject came up. It had nothing to do with that girl asking him out and that’s why he couldn’t take to the others. They would most definitely jump to that conclusion.

And that would be like jumping off a tree cause they were barking up the wrong one or some other mixed metaphor like that.

Plus, he thought that he and Tom had been good friends for a year now. If Tom had wanted that Slimy blonde to date him, he would have asked by now. Or Harry would have known. Although he couldn’t quite get his brain to agree with that. What kind of sixth year would confide in a fourth year?

Harry collapsed against his pillow with a groan as he looked up at the pictures decorating the top of the canopy.

(0,0)

The Slytherin came storming into their tutoring session, slamming his books on the desk as his magic swirled around him.

“Tom?”

“I don’t get these-these-these children! There are more important things to do than to rush around looking for a release of pent up hormones.”

Harry smirked slightly, “Got asked out again?”

The Slytherin snarled, “That would have been preferable. That… _female_ had the gall to place her hands on me! I don’t understand these foolish impulses which seem to be ravaging this school.”

“Tom? I hate to break it to you, but most people our age are actually looking for stuff like that. It’s not exactly uncommon…”

The man shook his head, “It’s illogical, impractical, and it doesn’t make sense! Besides she has been hanging off another for a few weeks now. It is impossible to go anywhere without running into her and her amorous encounters. I have a feeling a few books may need to be replaced.”

“Tom- She’s trying to make you jealous.”

“Absurd. If she wanted a relationship with me she wouldn’t attempt to sabotage my other interests. I quite nearly had to hex her to remove her from my person before coming here tonight. And then she insinuated that she would be fine without my presence. As if I had not been informing her of that for the previous ten minutes!”

“Tom, she’s doing that because she wants you. She’s trying to make you jealous and she’s jealous of me. She believes that by talking about someone who _is_ interested in her- you will notice her qualities. And seeing as I am the only one who you don’t despise interacting with… she’s jealous.”

“I… I do not understand how you can actually comprehend all of this insanity. Why not just request interaction and accept a refusal?”

Harry smiled, “Actually I found something that might help you understand what’s going on with everyone else. You see there was this book in the library that talks about human sexuality.”

Tom snorted, “Did you miss the class last year, Potter?”

“Cute, Tom,” Harry rolled his eyes, “There are some things that they didn’t cover in the class though. I thought one of them might apply to you and your absolute scorn for anything even remotely about couples. I think it’s because you don’t get it. Anyway I marked the chapter.”

Harry tossed the book at him. Tom caught it and glanced at the title, “You think this will…assist with my scorn as you say?”

Dark hair shook a negative, “No. But I think it’ll help you understand at least a little.”

The older boy nodded, placing the book in his bag to peruse later, “Very well, however I believe we should first focus on the History of Magic essay you have been pushing off.”

“What? Me? Procrastinate? Pff!”

“Just open your book, Harry."

(0,0)

“Seriously, Ginny. You need to give it up. Whether Harry’s said anything or not, it’s obvious that he’s practically in love with Riddle already.”

“Really, Ronald. I know he’s your best friend but Harry and I have talked and we both agreed to wait until next year to make it official. But we are going to get married. Even if we have to follow in his parent’s footsteps and do it against the wills of our family’s.”

The boy, Ronald apparently, shook his head and stormed off in a huff. Although Tom was inclined to think the boy did not know his friend as well as he thought he did. The dark haired Gryffindor spent most of the time they were in their tutoring sessions complaining about ‘Ginny’s’ crush on him. For someone who hated her clinging on him so much he sure talked about her a lot.

Tom would bet that within the year they would be an official couple. And if they weren’t he would personally ask the other boy to the Yule Ball just to see the horrified look on his face. That would put an end to any rumors that they were dating. Or as in love as the Ronald Weasel seemed to believe.

Ridiculous. He really had no idea what it was that let Harry befriend that one, but the Potter child had an unusually large heart.

In the meantime he had a detention to give to the two Gryffindors who decided to stay out after curfew to gossip. He made it a personal point to give at least as many detentions as Snape any given patrol. He’d yet to beat the man but he’d gotten close.

“Weasleys. I do believe the lights went out half an hour ago. So that will be a detention for both of you-”

(0,0)

“So you and Ginny talked it all out then?”

“Yeah, Ron. Although I’m not sure she heard half of what I said but at least she backed off for now.”

The red head let himself fall back against his pillows, “Wow… And Hermione and I were so sure…”

Harry rolled his eyes, “I don’t have to marry her to be your brother, Ron. Right? Because I know you were all set on us getting together and getting married after she graduated but it would never have worked.”

“Wait. Gin said you guys were going out next year. Taking the year for self-discovery or something.”

The dark haired boy groaned and rolled over on the bed to bury his face in his sheets, “Bloody hell. I thought she was finally done with it this time!”

“You’re irresistible, mate.”

The Potter heir rolled to his back again, “She’s going to be fourteen. How on earth can she be planning to marry me already?”

“Mum says girls mature faster. But I personally think it’s because she’s been planning your wedding since she was like five.”

“What else can I do?”

“You can tell her you’re bent?”

“Didn’t work the last time.”

Ron laughed, “I can’t believe you would lie to my sister like that. It’s just going to hurt her worse when you start dating, you know.”

“Err…well that’s kind of the thing. You see Ron…”

“Ah Bloody Hell. I owe Hermione four sickles.”

“YOU BET ON MY BEING GAY?!”

“To be fair we only bet on when you would come out to one of us.”

“RON!

“I am so glad vacation starts next week, aren’t you?”

Harry grinned suddenly and all of his ire seemed to disappear, “Me too, what do you think your Mum’s going to say when mine tells her about the bet?”

“Harry? I thought you liked me?!”

“If it was between you and Hermione? I’d go straight.”

“…Ouch.”

Harry threw a pillow at his best friend and just like that a pillow fight was started and Neville’s own feather filled monstrosity began an all out war in the fifth year dorm room.

(0,0)

“Potter’s just gotten better and better, hasn’t he?”

A sigh from the seventh year Ravenclaw, “If only that little red head had not sunk her claws into him already.”

Tom rolled his eyes, last he knew Penelope was dating ‘little red head’s’ older brother. He was kind of surprised by the fact they had gotten together already. He’d thought they’d last until the first Hogsmeade weekend. But at least he would have free time if the brat wasn’t studying with him for two nights of the week.

“Riddle!”

Speak of the devil, “Potter.”

“Have you gotten your schedule yet? Are Mondays and Wednesdays still good or do we need to push them around a bit?”

“For what?”

“Our potions sessions? I thought we planned on continuing with them this year since Snape and my Mum were both ecstatic with my results from last year. And an ecstatic Snape is kind of terrifying to be honest. I think I even saw a lip twitch.”

“I won’t get my schedule until tomorrow, same as you. But it should still work as they asked me for my requests early. Perks of being the oldest prefect.”

“They didn’t make you Head Boy? That’s ridiculous! You’ve got the best grades, the best record, and award to the school. What else do they want?”

“A lion instead of a snake?”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Tom shrugged and turned to walk away, but paused at the sound of Harry calling out to him again.

“For what it’s worth, Dumbledore’s prejudice just lost him the best Head Boy he could have had.”

Tom looked back at the boy to see if he was joking but he was already walking up towards Gryffindor Tower.  Although when Tom thought on it he could have sworn there was the tiniest of blushes on the younger boy’s face.

Weird.

(0,0)

“Did you do it?”

Tom could practically hear the teen’s blush as he talked to his friend. Why Harry even tried to hide something from him when he knew they were meeting for a lesson would forever elude him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, ‘Mione.”

“Harry James Potter, you’re mother and father would be ashamed of you if they could see you hiding in a room. It’s not that hard, ‘Would you go to Hogsmeade with me?’ See? Seven little words.”

The younger boy scoffed, “Yeah. Says the girl who has been waiting for Ron Weasley to say those words for two years.”

“That…” Oh look, another blushing Gryffindor, “That is a completely different story, I need to wait for Ron to mature first. Luckily for you some people don’t need as long to mature.”

“And I thought girls were supposed to mature faster, so what’s your excuse?”

“Childish insults aside... Are you going to ask or not?”

He could just imagine Harry walking off with his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the floor, “I … I hoped to settle in first. I thought maybe I would ask for the Yule Ball. Dumbledore seemed really excited about it this year and I know it’ll be good since you’ll be on the committee…”

“Flattery only gets you so far, you know…”

Tom rolled his eyes, he needed to get some things before their ‘necessary’ lesson today anyway. He’d come back in a few minutes and hopefully that Granger girl would either help Potter get up the courage to ask Ginevra out or give up and storm out. Either would be fine for this Slytherin.

(0,0)

Hermione glared at the Gryffindor as he snuck into the common room far after curfew.

“Well?!”

The dark haired boy jumped about a foot into the air before glaring at his friend, knuckles white where he was gripping his bag. He took a deep breath, trying to control the temper he supposedly inherited from his mother.

“Nothing happened. I told you I would wait. I tried to bring it up anyway but he cut me off by talking about this girl in his year who’s ‘surprisingly intelligent for having a figure as attractive to the male eyes as hers appears to be as well as spending time improving it.’ So while you were encouraging me to move forward with him he was contemplating this girl’s ass…ets.”

“Harry, I’ve never seen Tom actually look at another person. Much less think about their ‘assets’ I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”

Green eyes closed, “You’ve done enough damage tonight, Hermione.”

“Harry.” Her voice leaked her hurt and sadness.

“I’m not…” Harry sighed, “I’m going to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

(0,0)

The tutor and tutored were sprawled across the desk and floor respectively. Each going over their homework in the hopes of an evening off this weekend. But after an hour of staring at the same piece of parchment and rereading the same chapter Harry gave in to the thoughts that were filling his mind.

“Tom?”

“Harry.”

The Gryffindor remembered Ron’s surprisingly encouraging and helpful words earlier _‘Just see if you have a chance, Harry. Don’t give up on him and anything until you know. Small steps, mate.’_

“You know I saw Jeremy Jostape with the Hufflepuff quidditch captain yesterday.”

“Gossip, Harry? I thought you knew better than to listen to that.”

A smirk crossed the younger boy’s face, “I’m not listening to it. I’m starting it, now hush and listen. It looked like they were starting something rather interesting.”

“Stop grasping at straws,” Tom rolled his eyes, “I know for a fact that Diggory has asked Chang to Hogsmeade this weekend, despite his decidedly amorous interactions with Jostape. Which is why I also know that the relationships is not meant to be and is in fact almost insulting.”

“Oh.” Before he could give up the questioning Ron’s voice began ringing through his mind again, _‘and for Merlin’s sake don’t take anything he hints at seriously. Don’t guess what he means, ask or else you’re definitely going to jump to a wrong conclusion.’_

“What makes you say that?”

“Well let’s see: They are both on opposing quidditch teams so they are going to have a huge road block with the upcoming match, they are a Slytherin and a Hufflepuff, the only reason Jostape asked him was because of his body and no Slytherin relationship has ever lasted unless there was a modicum of respect for the other’s intelligence.”

“I’ve heard that Diggory is a star at transfiguration and he’s nearly top ten percent.”

“School smarts and a passible intelligence are hardly the same thing.”

“They’ll at least make it to the end of the school year.”

The Slytherin rolled his eyes, “You do not know Slytherins, Harry.”

“I know you, and for all you say that I am an ignorant child you seem to forget that you willingly hang out for me.”

“Hardly. Your parents pay me, remember?”

Harry chose to ignore the way the air seemed to fly out of his lungs, “Whatever. The point is I bet that they are going to last despite what you think.”

Tom smirked and snorted in a decidedly snide manner, “Next you’ll be betting that they’ll go to the Yule Ball together. C’mon, Potter, be realistic.”

“Why not? I have no doubts that Diggory will ask Jeremy to the ball _and_ he’ll say yes.”

“I’ll take that bet.”

Harry paused, the energy slowly fading from his face as he looked at the other boy in confusion, “Bet?”

“Yes. And since it’s over a ball I think it is fitting that the wagers be about the same thing, yes? So let’s see, if I am right and they do not last until the ball, you will ask the person you are most interested in to accompany you to the ball.”

Harry blanched but didn’t say anything against the terms, “And if I win?”

“On the off-chance you win, I will ask the person of my… Alas, I cannot complete that, I will inform your parents that you no longer require my tutoring so you will be free to spend time with the person of your choosing.”

“Why can’t you ask someone to the ball?”

“I’m afraid I have a… previous arrangement that is also based around the ball in question and who I should accompany to this slightly horrifying event.”

“Another bet?”

“More an agreement based upon another’s relationship. Deal?”

Harry wrapped his bravery around him and reached out his hand, “Deal.”

As they shook hands Peeves flew into the classroom cackling manically, “Ooohhh! Potty and Riddly are trouble making! Someone going to get hurt, Peeves getting to see little Potty cry!”

“I’m not crying, Peeves. And I will not be giving you the pleasure. Now out with you, pesky poltergeist!”

Peeves cackled and knocked some of the bottled potions to the floor as he flitted through the wall, “Pretty little Potty’s gonna cry, pretty little Potty’s gonna cry-y!”

Harry growled and took a step forward, he’d find the Bloody Baron and put a stop to this. He was barely two steps into his mission when he managed to step directly in the middle of one of Peeve’s recently destroyed potion bottles. His foot went sliding from under him and he saw no way to save himself until he managed to grab a hold of the proffered arm.

Another hand slipped down to his side and Harry blushingly accepted the help to come back upright.

“Thanks, Tom.”

“Of course. And I wouldn’t worry about it, no one takes Peeve’s seriously and even if they did he’s going to get distracted in about a floor by someone else’s misfortune.” He cast a light cleaning charm to pull some gunk from the back of the teen’s robes.

Harry fought the blush on his cheeks and stepped away from Tom, “Of course, I’m going to head back to the common room though. Just to be safe.”

Tom frowned slightly, “Alright. I’ll see you Wednesday.”

“See you then.”

And with that Harry escaped from the classroom as Tom sat down at the desk once again, his eyes tired and frown still on his face as he picked up his quill once again.

It was a long moment before the sound of scratching filled the long stone hallways once again.

(0,0)

On his way up the stone stairs Harry alternated between praising himself for restraining his hormones and condemning himself for not acting like an impulsive Gryffindor and kissing the older Slytherin.

He was about halfway up the stairs when he ran into a disheveled Hufflepuff.

“Oi!”

“What? Oh, sorry, Potter. I’m late for Quidditch practice you see, and since I set the times I can’t really say I forgot or anything.”

Harry shook his head, “You know if you took Jeremy to the Yule Ball, you guys wouldn’t have to sneak around anymore.”

The boy turned red and started shaking his head frantically, “What? No! I’m going out with Cho this weekend, remember?”

The Gryffindor smirked and unknowingly sent Diggory’s thoughts soaring to every Slytherin he’d ever met, “Cedric, I heard Cho gossiping with Patil last night. Claiming she really couldn’t be upset with you, but it was quite frustrating that it was all the cute ones. She’s apparently going with you to make sure you live up to the standards of every gay friend ever.”

“You…you heard that?” He dropped his head into his hands, “Jeremy’s going to kill me, he wanted to keep it under wraps until after break. Preferably graduation.”

“No, just a theory. Cho was very careful not to mention any names during her talk. But I had my suspicions.”

Another grown from the taller boy, “I should have known, you spend too much time with that Slytherin boy, Harry.”

“Nonsense, I think you don’t spend enough time with yours.”

“Touche. Although I would stake a claim if I were you, Tom’s almost done and he’ll disappear without you if you don’t take this chance.”

Green eyes blinked, “Chance on what?”

“Let’s just say, I would prefer it if my relationship wasn’t the only scandalous one in the Great Hall come Yule.”

“Oh.”

Cedric held out a hand, “What do you say, I’ll ask my Slytherin if you ask yours.”

Harry blinked, that was not quite what he was hoping would happen. But what the hell, he was going to end up asking Tom out if Cedric didn’t ask Jeremy. And Hermione would never forgive him if he didn’t ask Tom this year. There had been that huge blow out after he didn’t ask Tom to the Yule Ball last year during the Triwizard Tournament.

He shuddered at the memory of that confrontation, last thing he wanted was to be subjected to any more of Hermione’s little bird mercenaries.

“You know, somehow I think I’m going to regret this. But why not?”

Harry accepted the hand and Cedric grinned at him, “Alright then, Potter. I’ll see you at the ball!”

The Hufflepuff walked off with a smile and stride full of confidence. And Harry couldn’t help but wonder what exactly it was that he had just signed himself up for.

(0,0)

Sure enough, less than three days later the entirety of the school was gossiping non-stop about the newest ‘it’ couple of Hogwarts. The Ball was a little more than two weeks away and it seemed as though about half of the school had official dates and the rest of them were expectant.

Harry on the other hand was still stuck in the absolute terror state that signified when one knew who they wanted to ask, but were terrified of the answer, and as such had yet to build the necessary courage to actually ask said person.

So basically, he was currently sitting as the lamest of all the Gryffindors at Hogwarts. His mother, father, both god fathers, and his grandfather (Potter, not Evans) had sent him letters asking him who he was asking or rather when (in the case of his mom and Uncle Remus).

Unfortunately, Harry was running out of time and he needed to buck up and ask Tom. There was no chance that the older boy was going to ask him and he needed to ask or give up entirely. As tempting as the latter may sound, he would never forgive himself if he let Tom enter the ‘real world’ and leave Hogwarts without trying to say something.

Harry was wandering around the edge of Black lake when he found himself suddenly face to face with the last couple he ever thought he was going to see. Tom Riddle and Harry’s least favorite member of the student body.

Draco Malfoy was standing practically on top of the older boy and was having no qualms in showing exactly what it was that he wanted. He had one hand that continually brushed down the other boy’s arm, fingers against the back of his hand, and if he made on more flirty expression the merfolk may have started getting sick.

“So… I guess you know what has been the main topic of interest this past month, give or take.”

“If you’re attempting to bring up the stimulating experience of the Yule Ball then yes, I am quite aware of the topic.”

“Right. Well, I have been in contact with my parents recently and they feel that I have reached the point at which I should begin ensuring a competent network for when I leave the school.”

Tom turned slightly towards the blond. Both making it appear as though he cared (which Harry was pretty sure he did not in the least) and pulling himself out of the touchy-feely boy’s range.

“Have you not been doing exactly that since you arrived here?”

Draco nodded, “But they feel it is time that I take a more…personal approach.”

“Ah.”

Apparently, the blond Slytherin didn’t really care that the seventh year could not care less about his family problems.

“You catch my meaning then?”

Tom was obviously reaching the end of his patience fingers pinching the bridge of his nose, “I could not fathom your meaning any more than I can fathom my own reason for continuing to stay here despite your presence.”

“Well then, I’ll explain it to you.”

This time Harry couldn’t help but match Tom’s eye roll, “Oh yes, please do.”

And apparently Draco couldn’t understand sarcasm any more than he could take a hint.

“You are one of the most influential people at this school, I am also aware that you will have a difficult time using that influence once you are outside the school. I would like to begin courting you in order to allow you access to the higher edge of the social elite.”

Harry was ninety percent sure that his jaw was lying flat on the ground by the time Draco finished talking. He actually thought he could bribe Tom into dating him? Especially with some cheap crap like that story? Tom could get to the top of the ladder regardless of his social status.

Tom was staring at the blond snake, “And what exactly are you suggesting for this ‘courtship’ you have planned?”

What? Was he serious? Was he actually thinking about… _that?_

 Draco’s smile went from smarmy salesman to ecstatic teenager in two seconds flat.

“Well… I thought perhaps the Yule Ball would be a good place to start. We could wear matching outfits. I’ll get your measurements and send out for them. We could meet in the kitchens tomorrow and fine tune the rest of the details?”

Harry saw Tom’s lips start to twitch into the smirk that he would love at literally any other moment. And as his heart dropped to his feet the Gryffindor turned and moved back towards the castle, leaving it to beat alone as flakes of snow began to fall.

(0,0)

The dark haired Gryffindor sighed and pushed his potatoes around his plate one last time. He was supposed to meet with Tom in just a few minutes, but he wasn’t even sure if the older boy was going to show up. He might be meeting with the blond snake. He stabbed the vegetable with far more force than was strictly necessary. The massacre of his dinner was interrupted by a familiar voice.

“If you’re quite done. I heard something from Lavender that I think you’ll be interested in.”

“Not all that interested in the daily gossip right now, ‘Mione.”

The bushy haired girl shook her head and moved to sit in the empty space next to her friend.

“Hey Lavender!” The blonde glanced over at Hermione’s call, “Did you hear that Malfoy asked Riddle out?”

She flipped her hair over her shoulder, “Of course. Everyone’s heard about _that_. But _I_ just heard that Riddle stood Malfoy up last night. And Malfoy acted most unseemly in response. The house elves actually threw him out of the kitchens after his tantrum.”

As the words slowly registered behind green eyes he looked up at the gossip, “Wait. Tom stood him up? I thought he agreed?”

Lavender shrugged, “I hear that Riddle said that he never actually agreed to the meetup Malfoy just made assumptions and arrangements. He said he wouldn’t go out with Malfoy if the blond paid him. And it sounded like offered to do just that.”

Hermione faked surprised, “No!”

“Yes! I heard it from Padma who heard it from Parvati who overheard Parkinson and Zabini talking about it to Knott.”

“Oh well, as long as it is direct from the source.”

Lavender nodded as if in agreement and Harry just rolled his eyes.

“Hermione. If it was straight from the source it would be fact, not gossip. And how boring would that be?”

The girl stifled her giggle by taking a drink. Harry’s grin was unstoppable as he brought a forkful of potatoes to his lips. Within minutes his plate was cleared and he was sharing conversation with the rest of the fifth year boys. It wasn’t until Ron pointed out the time that Harry realized how late it was. He was going to have to run if he wanted to meet Tom in time.

“Well, I’m out guys. See you tonight?”

“Sure, Mate.” Ron sent him a grin while the rest of the boys merely nodded in response before turning back to the all-important conversation: Quidditch.

But Hermione’s words had him crashing back to reality a little faster than he anticipated.

“Don’t forget your promise, Harry. And your bet. I’d say tonight is probably going to be your last chance to make good on in the both of them.”

He nodded and made his way out of the hall without any other words. If he wasn’t going to do this, he was going need at least the entire walk down to psych himself up for it. He’d made a promise to Hermione that he had backed up with his bet with Cedric (although to be fair the Hufflepuff had been more than willing to let him off… after Harry had nearly had a panic attack). It had become obvious that Tom wasn’t going to ask him and he wasn’t going to ask anyone out, much less Harry.

Before Harry could quite meet that moment of absolute confidence, he was standing at the closed door that marked their meeting space. He took a deep breath and nodded to himself, drawing his Gryffindor courage around him like a shield. He was not prepared for the dark head of hair in the classroom to flip around and point a wand at his throat.

“Harry?” Tom seemed actually surprised to see him in the doorway.

“What? It’s time for our session, isn’t it?”

Grey eyes blinked slowly once, “Well, mostly. You’re about ten minutes early. Which is like twenty minutes early for you. What’s going on?”

Harry blinked back and ducked his head, fighting desperately against the blush that was rising to his cheeks, “Nothing. What are we going to go over today?”

“You wanted me to go over your essays that are due Friday, remember?” Tom took a step towards him, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

The Gryffindor let out a laugh that he hoped didn’t sound as nervous as he thought it did and side stepped the older boy going towards his usual seat without a thought, “Don’t be ridiculous, Tom.”

He shrugged off his robes dumping them in the unoccupied seat as per usual.

“Muggle clothes?” Harry looked down remembering Hermione talking him into wearing his best pair of jeans last night. Guilt tripping him over it, too. She’d bought them for him and he’d yet to wear them.

“Yep. Hermione insisted, she wanted to see them on me. Now on this charm, why can’t it be used on stones? I thought the whole point was too be able to change any material?”

“Iron is a counter to this particular charm. And it is found it practically every stone.”

He could somewhat remember that coming up before, “Right…”

He jotted it down quickly before drawing a line to the paragraph in question. He glanced back up at the older boy when he felt the intimidating gaze.

“What?”

“That’s it?”

“What?”

“I just gave you a correction, answered a question. And all I get in return is a ‘right’? Where is the smart mouthed comment? The sass? The ever popular ‘I knew that?’ But I get nothing.”

“Umm… I’m sorry?”

The older boy frowned at him, “You’re horrible at hiding when something is bothering you. So spill.”

Harry sighed and rubbed at his eyes, his glasses riding up on the back of his hands, “Fine. I was hoping to do this later. Much later. But a promise is a promise. I told Hermione I would ask someone to the Ball. I’ve been wanting to ask them out for a while and this seemed like as good a reason as any.”

“You’re freaking out over asking the Weasley girl to the ball? That’s ridiculous, everyone knows she’d say yes before you even asked.”

It was Harry’s turn to frown, “Ginny? Why would I ask her? She’s going with Dean. Although I thought Seamus was finally going to pull it together enough to ask him. But he’s going with that Slytherin anyway, so maybe it will work out. But that is most definitely not the point.”

“Nott asked Finnigan?!”

“I think it was the other way around actually, but yeah. And that is still not the point…”

“So you’re not going with the she-weasel?”

“Don’t call her that. You know better. And no. But why does that matter?”

Tom swore under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, “Because now I have to fulfill a promise I made. And I’m quite sure that neither of us will be very happy about that.”

Now Harry’s interest was piqued, “You made a bet on me asking Ginny to the Ball? Why?”

Trust Tom to make Harry asking him to the ball into way more than it needed to be. All he wanted to do was ask. Hear the answer. And run away to tell Hermione. But before he could ask the dumb prefect to the stupid ball, Tom turned around with a handful of conjured roses.

“Tom?”

“Harry. Would you accompany myself to the Yule Ball?”

For a moment Harry’s heart stuttered and soared. This was going wonderfully! He didn’t even have to ask and Tom was asking _him_ because- suddenly his earlier statement was echoing in Harry’s ears, _‘Neither of us will be very happy about that.’_

Tom didn’t want to go to the ball with Harry. And he couldn’t even fathom the idea that Harry would want to go with him. Plus he couldn’t agree to ask someone earlier, he said he’d already made a bet regarding his date.

“You’re only asking me because of that bet? The wager was that you would ask me in her stead.”

Tom rolled his eyes, “Of course. You and I know that my opinions on dating revolve only around the fact that the very idea of it is pointless and time wasting in nature.”

“So you don’t want to go with me?”

“In all honesty, all my thoughts had centered on living the ball vicariously through your inevitable descriptions of the event. Meanwhile I was going to patrol the halls for dunderheads who sneak out of the Ball for a snog.”

Harry’s heart froze again, and to think he’d thought it had been left at the edge of the Black Lake. But seeing as he was pretty sure he just felt it shatter inside his chest, it seemed he might have been mistaken. But maybe, just maybe, this was still a misunderstanding, maybe if Tom knew he actually _wanted_ to go with the older boy…

“Tom, would you want to go if I said-”

The Slytherin let out a frustrated sigh and shoved the flowers into Harry’s hands, “Look. I don’t want to be at the Ball, at all. The only thing that could make it worse would be having someone simpering on my arm all night. You have only yourself to blame for this situation. I am only deigning to ask because you failed to ask Ginevra earlier. Understood?”

There was no misunderstanding that, “No.”

“How could you not-”

“I understood. I am refusing your invitation. The dare was that you had to ask. And I refuse. As for hearing my stories I would not worry for I won’t be attending either. I’m going to head to the common room. I’m sure Hermione can answer any other questions I have.”

“But we still have almost an hour left… And weren’t you going to ask someone to the ball tonight?”

“No need I already got my answer, loud and clear. I’ll let my parents know that we no longer need to meet. I’m sure they will pay you through the end of the month at least.”

“What? How did you-?”

“Goodnight, Tom.”

The prefect stood flabbergasted even as Harry let the door close behind him. He didn’t slam it, the weight of the door instead fell closed with the mere click of the latch and sounded far more permanent than any crash of wood. He blinked slowly before gathering up the bag, papers, and robes that Harry had abandoned in his hasty retreat.

Tom missed something in that conversation. That much was obvious, now he just had to figure out what it was.

(0,0)

Harry was exceedingly glad that he had long ago learned all of the shortcuts through the castle. He used cobweb coated hallways, hidden tunnels, and abandoned classrooms for the next week exceedingly grateful that the ball was only around the corner at this point.

Of course, it was frustrating everyone. Harry had thought he could get away with just avoiding Tom, but that wasn’t going to be the case. Hermione had immediately felt guilting for pressuring him into asking the older boy.

Diggory had attempted to apologize. He felt guilty that his own uncertainty regarding his relationship was leading to Harry’s suffering or whatever. Ron was taking every opportunity to rant about how he knew he never liked ‘that Riddle git’ and ideas for cursing him. Ginny was rubbing it in his face that she had a date, likely hoping for some jealousy on his part.

His mom had sent him a letter saying they had finished out their payments for Tom and that Harry really should invite him for dinner over the spring break. Harry hadn’t the heart to tell her about what had happened. Or any of his family either. He was in the mindset right now that it would be better to let the topic of the ball and Tom Riddle die out on his own.

In his hurry to rush from potions class and make it back to the relative safety of his dorms he managed to forget that a majority of his knowledge regarding the dungeons had come from the same source.

“Harry?”

The teen flinched at the familiar voice behind him and answered without turning, “Hello, Tom.”

“I was surprised not to hear from you after I took the time to deliver your belongings.”

Harry nodded once to himself before mustering the courage to face the older boy, “Right, I am thankful for your help, Tom. Greatly appreciated it, especially considering everything that happened that night.”

“Quite, I hear you still haven’t asked anyone to the Ball?”

The Gryffindor shook his head, “I told you Tom, I don’t need to ask anyone. I already know their answer.”

“Judging by the rumors I’ve heard, no one would turn down your invitation, Harry.”

“They did. Or would. Or whatever. The point is that I don’t have a date and I’m not going to the ball.”

The Slytherin cocked his head to the side as if contemplating a bizarre puzzle where one piece was left but it absolutely did not fit, “Why did you decide to stop our sessions?”

“You’re the one who told me you were only meeting me for the money. Besides, I thought you would like to spend your last year at Hogwarts with your friends.”

“You are well aware that I do not form friendships with individuals.”

The Gryffindor snorted lightly before running his fingers through that mess of hair, “Yeah, I know. Look can we just let the rest of the year pass in peace? I’d rather not avoid you but I can’t really talk about this with you. It’s too close, I guess you could say.”

“We used to talk a great deal.”

“Not about the relationship stuff. Or I haven’t, I heard you quite often, anything come of that?”

Tom frowned and shook his head slowly, struggling to wrap his head around what exactly was happening with the younger boy, “I do not date, Harry. What is going on with you? I don’t understand.”

Harry sighed deeply before reaching a handout, only to let it fall to his side, “I know you don’t, Tom. I’m afraid I can’t give you an explanation right now, though.”

“…Could we, perhaps, move to the library? Or somewhere we could speak more comfortably? We can choose a different topic of conversation. Perhaps continue in regards to that theory you were questioning?”

The Gryffindor gave him a smile but it was so much shakier than he had received in years and he found himself frowning even as before the boy spoke, “No, Tom. I… I just need some time for myself. You could go speak with the Slytherin prefect you were talking to. I am certain she would welcome the distraction.”

Suddenly he remembered the description this very boy had given him months ago when Tom had been faced with a very different problem in the form of a stalker, “Are you jealous? Is that what is happening, here?”

The teen laughed, “You’re getting better, Tom. But-no. Not anymore. I’m…”

He shook his head and Tom just knew that he was missing something and it had to do with all of these damn emotions. Tom didn’t get it. He could understand some- happy, sad, disgust, anger, fear- but the more complex the more he just felt adrift. Harry had always helped him before…

He called out after the Gryffindor, hoping for an explanation, something Tom could work with to help fix whatever had happened between them.

“Harry? Please?”

There was a pause in his footsteps and he seemed to steel himself before turning. The boy looked ready to cry when he came to fully face Tom. And he wanted to take back everything, anything to get the glossy sheen off those green eyes.

“I’m… I’m hurting, Tom. I’m a little lost and I’m hurting. But I’ll be okay, I promise. I just need some space to work it all out.”

“Harry?”

“Space, Tom. That’s all. I’ll see you after the holidays maybe? We can talk then?”

Before Tom could protest again, the teen was gone and Tom found himself running over all of the facts. It was clear to him that the boy was hurting because of something Tom did. He’d never canceled on Tom before when he’d been upset. In fact, Tom had often helped him to rationalize the pain.

He thought he’d helped.

But if it was his fault he likely would not be a useful source of assistance. Then again the teen had never failed to call Tom out if he had messed up in the past. Helping him to understand what he had done and waiting for an apology.

So this was likely something Harry felt he could not understand. Which was understandable. However, it would make it difficult for Tom to apologize. It must have something to do with their last tutoring session.

But most of that had been about the ball.

Tom blinked, Harry had been quite defensive regarding the ball just now as well. So it likely had something to do with all of that hullabaloo. Especially seeing as Tom did not understand any reason to have such an event. Harry knew that as well though…

There must be something specific regarding the dance.

(0,0)

Tom was wandering the halls, waiting for curfew to start taking points when he ran into two of the usual Gryffindors. He thought about passing them by, leaving them to their occupation of the alcove, but then he heard a name. Perhaps this was a chance to solve his puzzle.

“-Harry’s hurt, Hermione. It’s no wonder he doesn’t want to talk to us, we were the ones who encouraged him.”

“But I doubt he spoke anything clearly to Riddle. He seemed upset and we all know that Riddle is not the best when it comes to reading people.”

“Harry tried to get him to listen, Hermione. It sounded like he was quite clear.”

He heard Hermione sigh, “I just wish there was some other guy he could go with but he just refuses. It’s like there’s just nothing in him to care any more.”

“I just can’t believe Riddle would shut him down like that. It’s obvious he cares about Harry, even if we can’t really understand it.”

Hermione frowned, “Maybe we can get Harry to talk to us, but no mention of the Ball or Riddle, alright?”

Ronald seemed to pause before tom heard the shift of robes indicating a slow nod, “We’ll try, but I still think we should give him some space.”

“We have to try.”

Tom pulled himself into another alcove as the two prefects made their way toward the Gryffindor portrait. But his thoughts were searching their words, trying to piece together the last part of the puzzle, knowing that these pieces would solve it if he could only get them to…

Oh…

Suddenly he remembered words from years past. And he felt the beginning of the answer:

_Whether Harry’s said anything or not, it’s obvious that he’s practically in love with Riddle already._

_Tom, she’s doing that because she wants you. She’s trying to make you jealous and she’s jealous of me._

_I can’t talk about this with you. It’s too…close, I guess you could say._

Could Harry actually… No, Tom wasn’t the sort of person who you… but Harry did say that he had been jealous… But then why was he going to ask someone to the Ball…

Suddenly Tom felt his eyes widen. Oh, Harry was going to ask _Tom_ but Tom had told Harry _he_ was only asking because Harry hadn’t. He didn’t even think that Harry… and then Tom had…

Tom groaned and slid down the wall, sprawling on the ground in a very atypical fashion. How was he supposed to fix this? He hadn’t… his thoughts sped back through the years. Harry had brought him that book that talked about these kinds of situations. Perhaps…

The Slytherin found himself in the library nearly instant and used the index for the first time in years as he delved into a world of the unknown.

(0,0)

“Weasley.”

The redhead spun at the sudden address, before stopping to glare at the older Slytherin.

“What do you want, Riddle?”

The teen actually frowned for a moment, shifting slightly before resuming eye contact, “I believe I have discovered my faux pas regarding my relationship with Harry and I believe I shall need your assistance to rectify said misconception.”

“Riddle, you can’t just fix something like this.”

The older boy smirked, “I believe I can, actually. As I said I discovered the problem and I am here to correct it.”

“You can’t apologize and expect this to go away. It’s been a problem for years.”

Tom frowned, “Years? I didn’t realize… nonetheless, my solution will be appropriate and sufficient.”

The Gryffindor shook his head, “Maybe it would be for you, but it whatever it is won’t work for Harry. This isn’t some homework question with a right and wrong answer.”

“Then how can you assume my solution will be insufficient?”

Weasley groaned, “You are impossible to talk with, I don’t know how Harry can stand you.”

“Weasley, please. I… I must at least attempt to rectify my mistake and seeing as Harry seems to be ignoring nearly everyone at the moment I don’t see what damage an attempt could do. Unlike you, I do believe Harry will be able to understand the sentiment of my solution if not accept the solution in itself.”

“What exactly do you intend to do?”

Tom shook his head, “I seriously doubt Harry would appreciate my sharing it with you first. However, I am certain you shall be one of the first to know, regardless of the outcome.”

“I won’t let you hurt Harry any more than you have.”

Riddle used a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose, “I was hoping for your assistance, I will be speaking with Harry. In case you have not noticed, Harry is my friend as well, something I would wish to continue outside of Hogwarts. I will be mending our relationship, it may not work this first solution, but it will be a step if nothing else. Now all I ask is that you _not_ inform Harry of my intentions.”

Before Tom had made more than three strides, the redhead called him back.

“Riddle? How can I help?”

Tom actually smiled at the other boy, “Can you get him into the Room of Requirement tonight at ten?”

“You’re asking me to break curfew?”

“No, I’m asking Harry to. Not that he will be, by time curfew is active he will be in my presence and subsequently exempt from the rules. I shall plan to see him there then?”

Weasley nodded once, “I will try, but Riddle? If you hurt him again I will sick Peeves on you with my brothers’…inspiration, shall we say?”

The Slytherin nodded once before striding towards the fourth floor. He had a room to set up.

(0,0)

“Ron? What are we doing again?”

“I found something strange in the Room. I thought we could check it out, you know like the old days.”

Harry shot his friend a disbelieving glance, “It was last year, Ron. Besides, I promised I’d stay out of trouble this year.”

“You haven’t had a detention since school started, mate. I’m certain your mom would forgive you. Beyond that, it’s not even curfew yet. We’ll be back in the dorms without any problems.”

“But-.”

“Harry. Trust me. You’ll enjoy this, now stop worrying and come on!”

The younger boy grumbled under his breath but reluctantly followed his friend down the familiar path. His thoughts wandered in circles focused entirely on one person and he groaned, looking for any way to get out of his thoughts he hurried to catch up to his friend.

“So…Have you decided who you’re going to ask to the ball yet?”

Ron groaned himself at that, “You know, for a bloke who is oddly insistent on _not_ going to the ball you sure badger the rest of us about it enough.”

Green eyes rolled, “Yeah, yeah, don’t distract me. When are you going to ask?”

“… I don’t think I’m going to.”

“What?! But-!”

Ron shook his head, “I don’t know Harry you- you know I’ve basically been waiting for Hermione for years. But I don’t really want her to feel like we don’t have a choice in it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, Ron.”

“Harry… Hermione and I know how much you’ve come to care about Riddle. We, well I don’t get it, not really. But then Hermione mentioned something about how hard it must be to only love one person and then have them break you. I’m-I’m afraid I’m going to hurt Hermione like Riddle hurt you and I couldn’t handle that.”

“But- Ron I always knew that anything I had with Riddle would be different. I knew we’d never have a fairytale ending and I’d be happy with that. You and Hermione, though, you’re different. I’d talk to her before you decide this without her.”

The redhead shrugged, “Well, either way, tonight isn’t about me. I… I also want you to know that I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you and I think this will be good for you?”

Harry stopped in his tracks, the activated door to the room of requirement, not ten steps away, and turned to look Ron dead in the eye.

“What’s going on, Ron?”

The redhead shrugged, “Honestly? I’m not sure, but there is something in there you’re going to be interested in. I promise.”

“Ron?”

“Trust me?”

With a groan, Harry followed the older teen the last few steps and opened the door at Ron’s gesture. Slightly nervous, Harry let his hand fall to the handle and felt the door swing open with the barest touch. Glancing back at his encouraging friend he swallowed and stepped into the room.

“I was hoping Ronald would be able to convince you to come.”

Harry instantly stiffened and promised mentally to curse Ron for this before he woke up tomorrow morning.

“Tom. I’m guessing you asked Ron to get me here tonight?”

The older teen nodded and shifted forward moving out of the shadows and guiding Harry over to the fireplace the room provided complete with sofa and chairs.

“Yes, I… I hope you don’t mind but I really wanted to speak with you and I was unsure if you would respond to a missive. I had also hoped that Ron’s interaction would prove to you that I was serious and not intending to hurt you.”

Harry sighed and sat down on the sofa, leaving space between him and Tom, “Well… I’m here so- what did you want to talk about.”

The Slytherin actually seemed nervous as he attempted to organize his thoughts.

“I… I am certain you know that I am not the most…discerning of individuals when it comes to emotions. I have a difficulty understanding them much less reciprocating them.”

Harry nodded, not really sure what to say or where this was going.

“It seems that I handled our last tutoring session rather poorly. I had assumed that you and I were friends and that was as much as you expected.”

Harry shook his head, “No, Tom. It’s my fault I never really expected more, but I was hopeful I guess. I completely respect our friendship and I am more than comfortable with just that. I just needed some time to get my emotions under control.”

“Harry, please? I did not ask you here to corner you or make you feel uncomfortable. I merely wish to reestablish our relationship.”

“Good, then friends it is. I really am fine with that, I was hoping as I said but your friendship means too much to me and I absolutely-.”

“May I finish?” Harry blushed but nodded for Tom to continue, “As I was saying I was… unaware of your feelings and I regret the discord that must have caused. But I wanted to make sure that you understand that I may likely never be able to develop the same feelings towards you as you have towards me.”

The Gryffindor nodded, “I did worry about that, but I mean I like you even though you’ve never been anything but yourself. I do think that I would be happy without you returning more than what you can. I know you care about me and I think we’re friends.”

“You’re certain, then?”

“As much as I can be… but Tom I must admit I’m feeling quite vulnerable right now, why are we bringing this up?”

The Slytherin nodded and stood from the sofa, moving to stand by the fireplace before he spoke again.

“You were going to request that I join you for the ball, correct?”

Harry shrugged, “I knew that it wouldn’t be your favorite thing, by I thought it would be enjoyable to go together.”

Tom nodded again, “I would like to ask you a favor then, Harry.”

“Tom?”

The teen took a deep breath, “If you ever become unsatisfied with our relationship, would you tell me?”

Green eyes frowned, “Of course I would, but… Tom, I’ve never been unsatisfied. If anything I’ve only been greedy.”

“Nonsense. You are only responding to your emotions, I…”

Harry stood and walked towards the older teen and placed a hand on his arm. Hoping that Tom would look at him and explain what was going on.

“Tom?”

“Would you accompany me to the ball this weekend? As my date and potentially as my boyfriend?”

Harry pulled his hand back as if shocked, “I told you, your belt was filled you already asked.”

Tom shook his head, reaching out to grip Harry’s hand. To keep the Gryffindor from leaving again.

“I’m not asking for that reason. I would truly enjoy your company and feel that it is the next evolution of our association.”

“You don’t want this.”

“I wouldn’t with anyone else and I likely don’t want it for the same reasons as you. I doubt you’d truly appreciate my reasons but I would _not_ enter a relationship just with your feelings in mind. I am not a selfless, self-sacrificing Gryffindor after all.”

There was a long moment of silence and Tom waited rather patiently for Harry to wrap his brain around the evening. Guiding Harry to the safety of the sofas once again. He attempted to release the boy’s hands, wanting to give him some space to think it through, but the Gryffindor seized Tom’s hands and held them as he struggled to find some kind of understanding.

“You really want to go to the ball with me?”

“I would like to spend time with you and the ball is as appropriate as any other occasion to do so.”

Harry grinned, “And about us being boyfriends?”

“If you are amenable I am not against the label.”

The teen bit his lip, “You’re sure?”

Tom sighed and pulled one of his hands-free from the green-eyed boy using it to brush a strand of hair away from the questioning eyes, “I am not positive that this relationship is wise or prosperous due to our differentiating opinions. However, I am certain in regards to attempting a relationship.”

Another soft smile graced the fifteen-year-old’s lips, “Very well, Tom. I shall see you before the ball?”

“It will be challenging for me to get away again, I admit to spending some time distracted this past week. Perhaps it will be best if we just meet before the ball? I shall meet you in the entrance hall when the ball is to begin?”

“That sounds wonderful, Tom. I… thank you for giving me this chance.”

Tom felt the side of his mouth quirk, “I do believe I should be the one saying that.”

(0,0)

Harry was fidgeting with his robes the next Saturday evening and wishing anxiously that he’d been able to actually talk to Tom the last couple of days. The teen was busy preparing for his NEWTs though and Harry really should have been working on his OWLs but he hadn’t been able to focus.

“Harry, mate. It’s going to be fine. He went through a lot to ask you and you’ve been waiting for this forever. It’ll be great.”

The teen shook, “That’s just it. What if it’s awful? What if I built it up so much in my head that it’s just going to be stupid now? What if Tom’s bored?”

Ron shook his head, “I am going to go get Hermione.”

Harry started to protest but the redhead was gone before he could say anything. He groaned at the thought of Hermione coming in to convince him that it was going to be fine and he was being irrational. He _knew_ that. Didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous.

Amazingly though, Ron came back without Hermione and without the blood in his face as well.

“Ron? Are you okay?”

He shook his head, “Apparently you’ll have to be fine on your own because I am _not_ going to go back and try to talk to her again.”

Harry smirked, “Yeah, probably not happy with you trying to see her before her big reveal.”

Ron shuddered slightly and Harry laughed at his friend’s misery, suddenly feeling like tonight may not be too bad after all. For example, his date wasn’t going to castrate him for not standing flabbergasted at his appearance.

…

Would he?

Harry shook his head, he was going to be fine. Seriously, Tom was doing this for him and Harry had already decided that they weren’t going to stay very long. The instant his date showed the hint of tiring they would leave, he would never make his boyfriend (he would deny grinning at the thought) do something he really didn’t want to do.

Finally, Harry grinned at his reflection. He knew what Tom’s dress robes looked like, the local robemaker had been easy to bribe to find out what colors Tom was wearing and receive matching robes. Or well matching colors. At the least.

With a nod to himself, he left the room and waited patiently with the others as the girls finished prepping for the night. Until it got late. The ball started in twenty minutes and it was going to take him at least fifteen to get down all of the steps without messing up his ‘artfully messy bedhead’ that Seamus had helped him with.

Harry didn’t notice the difference but he wasn’t going to say anything.

The teen shifted slightly, bouncing on the balls of his feet as his eyes flickered between the stairs and the portrait hole.

Three minutes later Harry groaned and turned to Ron, “Tell Hermione she looks wonderful for me, okay?”

The redhead raised an eyebrow, “How do you know?”

Harry smirked, “Are you going to tell me she ever looks less than wonderful?”

Ron paled and shook his head before a small smile suddenly appeared as he thought back, “Nah, Hermione’s always been bloody gorgeous. She just always seems to glow with happiness at these things. I think they like us to appreciate the work they put in, but… damn if she isn’t just as gorgeous bent over a book as she is dressed to the nines.”

There was a moment of silence and Harry and Ron both turned towards everyone else, which was when they noticed Hermione partway down the stairs. Her lips parted around a small ‘oh’ while her eyes seemed to shimmer.

“Oh Ron!” The girl threw herself at her date, wrapping her arms around his neck.

Ron stumbled slightly at the impact before steadying the both of them, his arms wrapped delicately around the girl, as if worried to tear the elegant dress. His eyes darted around as if trying to find something to say but the words were caught as Hermione pressed her lips to his. Harry probably wouldn’t have heard the whispered words if he hadn’t been so close.

“Oh Ron- Thank you!”

The redhead’s ears were burning as he stepped back to take in his date, “Well I was right then, you look absolutely wonderful tonight, Hermione.”

With a cheesy grin he clicked his heels together before bowing low and offering his hand, “Shall we m’lady?”

Dean groaned behind him after greeting his own fiery date, “Well… none of us are going to beat that tonight. So let’s get started with the rest of the night, shall we?”

Harry ran to open the door letting the few couples through. He glanced down at his watch and gave a sigh of relief before turning towards Seamus and Neville, “I know a short cut that can get us to the hall faster?”

Neville sighed in relief, “I didn’t want to head out first but I don’t want to keep Hannah waiting.”

Seamus smiled lightly, “Really glad I’m going stag tonight. But probably wouldn’t be a bad idea to get there and claim some food first.”

Harry smiled, “Then let’s go!”

(0,0)

The teen sighed just outside the ball doors. Not really wanting to admit what was keeping him from going in. But… after finally being able to go with a date he actually wanted to go with, the idea of walking in alone was distinctly unappealing.  

Besides, Tom had told him they would meet in the entrance hall so… waiting here it was.

He gave another sigh as he checked the time. It wasn’t that late yet. He’d been sitting on the staircase for twenty minutes but the ball only started ten minutes ago. The other teen probably just got lost in one of the dungeon corridors. Harry still did when he was trying to go somewhere new.

Granted Harry also wasn’t a seventh year Slytherin, but there was a  possibility, yeah?

Groaning lightly Harry cursed his thoughts and how pathetic he looked just sitting there all alone in the corridor. He had been so hopeful and Tom had seemed so sincere about all of this. To think he’d been so worried about what Tom would think when he saw him…

He cast another tempus. Tom was twenty minutes late now. Harry steeled himself and shoved his hands in his pockets to keep them away from his hair.

Harry would wait another ten minutes before making his break for the Room of Requirement. He’d be able to seal it before any of the amorous pairs could sneak in. And then maybe he could talk Dobby or Winky into bringing him something to eat.

He pulled out his wand and cursed his stupidity as he remembered the charm he had practiced over and over. Flitwick had given them a charm in honor of the ball, a simple one to listen to whatever song you wanted and how to extend it to a partner. He’d also told them there was one they’d be learning for Valentine’s Day, conjuring a rose and changing its color.

He’d remembered how Tom had conjured that bouquet of roses the day he’d asked him to the ball and wanted to do something similar. So he’d practiced and practiced. Hermione had thought it was sweet. Ron had thought he was crazy and now Harry found himself agreeing.

With a sigh, he made the practiced movement, “ _Surrexerunt viridi crepito.”_

He smiled slightly at the rose with petals of alternating green and cream which now lay in his hand and he remembered his last-minute decision, “ _Ruban.”_

The rose now sported a simple grey bow tied loosely just below the flower itself. He sighed again and went to banish the flower, but a quiet voice stopped him.

“Is that for me, perhaps?”

Green eyes shot up instantly and he felt himself smiling as the seventh year rushed over (well as much as he could rush without _actually_ rushing).

“I apologize. I had a meeting with Professor Snape, I’m afraid I did not realize he was only chaperoning the later hours. I lost track of time on my own and did not realize until the Professor mentioned the end of the first dance.”

Harry rose to his feet and offered the rose, “I understand. Here.”

The small smirk that lifted the corner of Tom’s mouth was worth the hours of practice, “The colors…”

The green-eyed teen smiled, “I thought it appropriate. It represents you and me but everyone else will just see the Slytherin colors.”

“Thank you, Harry. Shall we?”

He offered an arm in a manner similar to Ron’s cheesy attempt earlier and Harry grinned as he accepted the escort and they made their way into the ball together. Harry felt his smile grow as he took in all of the shocked looks sent their way. He returned Cedric’s wink as his date swept him into the first dance of the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading everyone! This is a completely different work for me but I really like how it turned out. I’m not aromantic but I am asexual and I hope Tom’s character is an accurate representation of something that can be so variable. Please tell me what you think! I’m always accepting prompts as well.  
> Constructive criticism is always welcome.  
> As are title suggestions because this is just boring...


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